psychoceramics: Rapture Index

[Bruce Ediger <bediger @ csn.net>]

The USA has what seems to be an endless stream of "prophets" that
predict the end of the world, from the Russellites of New York
in the 1840s, to the Ibn Browning and his "probably earthquake" of
199x.

Here's a guy that has the chutzpah to treat his opinion of a selection
of items as an indicator of how close The WOrld is to the 2nd Coming
of Christ.  And he does it with a Stock-Market like precision, too.

And that's maybe the kookiest thing - believing that once you've put
numbers to non-measurable, subjective things, they've got more importance.

From: Todd Strandberg <todd @ oasis.novia.net>
Newsgroups: alt.religion.christian.last-days
Subject: Rapture Index 25 Nov 95
Date: 25 Nov 1995 17:42:56 GMT
Organization: Novia Internetworking <> 28.8kbps dialup; 402/390-2NET
Message-ID: <497kj0$3--@n--.novia.net>

                            The Rapture Index
 1 False Christs     1   20 Tribulation Temple  2   39 Persia (Iran) 1
 2 Satanism/Occult   2   21 Anti-Semitism       4-1 40 Famine        1
 3 New Age           2   22 Israel Unrest       5   41 Drought       1
 4 Unemployment      1   23 Gog (Russia)        5   42 Plagues       2
 5 Inflation         1   24 Less Civil Rights   2   43 Climate       4-1
 6 Interest Rates    2   25 False Prophet       1   44 Food Supply   4
 7 Economy           1   26 Nuclear Nations     5+1 45 Drug use      5
 8 Oil Supply/Price  1   27 World Unrest        3-1
 9 Debts/Trade       3-2 28 Arms Build Up       5    Rapture Index  130
10 Depression/Crash  1   29 Liberalism          5      Net Change    -4 
11 Leadership        5   30 Peace Treaty        5    
12 Forward Momentum  5   31 Kings of the East   2     Record High 164 
13 Apostasy          3   32 Mark of the Beast   4        Oct 26 90
14 Supernatural      1   33 Beast Government    1       
15 Moral Standards   5   34 Second Roman Empire 1      Record Low  50
16 Anti Christian    2   35 Antichrist (leader) 1       Dec 12 93
17 Crime Rate        1   36 Volcanoes           5       
18 World Church      4   37 Earthquakes         5       Current Date
19 Globalism         5   38 Hurricane/Tornado   5       25 Nov 1995

______________________________________________________________________
COMMENTS ON CATEGORIES

#02 Satanism/Occult:
    The number of psychic phone lines has jumped sharply as of late.
    Technology has brought the use of occultic pratices to a level never
    seen before.
*09 Debts/Trade:
    The budget deficit has improved some and the battle between Congress 
    and the President remains on hold until mid December.
#11 Leadership:
    The natural forces categories have been in the driver seat all
    summer.( Hurricanes, Volcanoes, and Earthquakes )
#12 Forward Momentum:
    The events of late in Israel, have created a massive amount of 
    momentum. In the next few months we should watch closely, events in    
    the Jewish state.  
*15 Moral Standards: 
    One of the grizzliest murder occurred in the past few days. A woman
    and hers family members were killed for hers 8 month unborn child.
    After she was murdered the child was cut out of her womb. 
#17 Crime Rate:
    The murder rate has declined 8.2% The third year in a row.      
#18 World Church:
    A number of events that relate to a world church have run their 
    course. The movement towards a world church still remains high.
*19 Globalism:
    The UN is plan on sending peace keepers into Bosnia. This is one
    more example of the world acting as a common unit, member nations 
   giving up their authority to a central body.
#20 Tribulation Temple: 
    A growing focus on the city of Jerusalem will likely add to the
    pressure for this prophesied Temple.
*21 Anti-Semitism:
    This category has been downgraded do to the time passing of time
    and the lack of new reports of anti-Semitism.   
#22 Israel unrest:
    With this category already at a 5 rating, the killing of Israel's
    Prime Minister will only mean that this category will remain at the 
    highest level for several weeks.
#23 Gog (Russia):
    The Communist are surging ahead of next months Duma elections. By the 
    end of the year, Russia could be well on its way to being called the 
    USSR again.
*26 Nuclear Club:
    All the protesting against France's nuclear program has had little
    effect. The number of tests has remained right on track. 
*27 World Unrest:
    With the possibility of peace in Bosnia, this category has been 
    downgraded.  
#29 Liberalism:
    Clinton is looking very good politically as of late. The phrase "he
    will never get reelected" doesn't apply anymore. If the 96 elections
    were held today Clinton would beat Dole. 
#30 Peace Treaty:
    The peace plan is rolling down the tracks like a train will no brakes.
    Unwise decisions have been made in the past. Now because of current
    circumstances outright foolish ones may prevail.      
#34 Second Roman Empire:
    The lack of news has downgraded this category. 
*37 Earthquakes:
    A strong earthquake strikes the Middle East region.
#42 Plagues:
    Concern is rising over a number of outbreaks in Central America. It
    is feared that diseases which have been controlled in the past are
    now mutating into strains that are harder to immunize against.
*43 Climate:
    The extremely active hurricane season helped push up this category.
    Now that the season is over, more downgrades are likely to follow.  
#44 Food supply:
    The grain supply in Russia needs to be monitored, right now it stands
    at a 30 year low.
#45 Drug use:
    The number of drug related emergency visits has increased to a 
    record level.

* NEW NEWS  # OLDER NEWS
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The Rapture index has a www site of: http://www.novia.net/~todd
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Speed of events
Rapture Index of 75 AND BELOW: Slow progression, events stationary
Rapture Index of 75 to 100:    Moderate advancement
Rapture Index of 100 to 135:   Rapid progression
Rapture Index above 135:       Forward motion self propelled

Warning Indicators
Rapture Index of 135 to 160:  Flash point (events triggering each other)
Rapture Index of 160 to 180:  Combustion (chain reaction of events)
Rapture Index above 180:      Explosive (events of terminal velocity)